Filevine vs PCLaw
Filevine scores 8.1/10 vs 5.8/10. Best for: Mid-size to large litigation firms that need a highly customizable case management system with task automation and team collaboration at scale.
Filevine scores higher overall at 8.1/10 vs 5.8/10. Filevine is purpose-built for litigation firms that handle high volumes of cases and need customizable workflows. If you're running PI, mass tort, or insurance defense with 5+ attorneys, it's worth the demo. Solo practitioners should look elsewhere.
Filevine 
PCLaw Rank
#3 of 39
Rank
#39 of 39
Features
18/18
Features
13/18
Starting at
Custom
Starting at
$69/mo
User reviews
4.7/5 (350)
User reviews
3.3/5 (100)
What they cost
| Filevine | PCLaw | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting at | Contact for pricing | $69 /mo |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Number of plans | Custom | 1 |
What the pricing really means
PCLaw publishes their pricing upfront, which is a good sign. Filevine requires you to contact sales for a quote. When a company hides pricing, it usually means the cost is high enough that they want a salesperson to justify it before you see the number. Always ask for total year-one cost, not just the monthly subscription.
Where Filevine wins
- Highly customizable with custom fields, sections, and workflows that adapt to any practice area without developer help
- Built-in AI tools for contract review and document analysis, which are genuinely useful not just marketing fluff
- Task automation and deadline tracking is best-in-class for litigation workflows
- Acquired Lead Docket for intake and DeadlineDocket for court rules, so the full suite is now comprehensive
Where PCLaw wins
- Full legal accounting with GL, AP, AR, and bank reconciliation — one of the most complete accounting suites in legal tech
- Trust accounting is mature and bar-audit-ready
- 200+ standard reports for financial analysis
- Backed by LexisNexis brand reliability
Where Filevine falls short
- No public pricing — you have to sit through a demo call, which usually means it's expensive
- No trust accounting built in, so you'll still need CosmoLex or QuickBooks for IOLTA compliance
- Overkill for solo attorneys or 2-3 person firms — the customization power becomes complexity you don't need
- Steeper learning curve than Clio or MyCase because of all the configuration options
Where PCLaw falls short
- G2 rating of 3.3 and Capterra 3.5 are the lowest in the category — user frustration is widespread
- No case management, document management, calendar, tasks, client portal, or mobile app — it's purely billing/accounting
- Historically desktop-based with cloud migration that feels incomplete
- No API, severely limiting integration options
Who is each product built for?
Filevine
Target: 5-500+ attorneys
Filevine is purpose-built for litigation firms that handle high volumes of cases and need customizable workflows. If you're running PI, mass tort, or insurance defense with 5+ attorneys, it's worth the demo. Solo practitioners should look elsewhere.
PCLaw
Target: 1-30 attorneys
PCLaw is aging accounting software that existing users tolerate and new users should avoid. CosmoLex offers better accounting with full practice management included. The LexisNexis name alone doesn't justify the limitations.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Filevine | PCLaw |
|---|---|---|
| Case Management | ||
| Case / matter management | ||
| Contact management | ||
| Conflict checks | ||
| Client intake forms | ||
| Client portal | ||
| Documents & Automation | ||
| Document management | ||
| Document automation | ||
| E-signatures | ||
| Email management | ||
| Billing & Accounting | ||
| Time tracking | ||
| Billing & invoicing | ||
| Trust / IOLTA accounting | ||
| Scheduling & Deadlines | ||
| Calendar management | ||
| Task management | ||
| Court rule deadlines | ||
| Platform | ||
| Reporting / analytics | ||
| Mobile app | ||
| API access | ||
Common questions
Filevine scores 8.1/10 vs PCLaw's 5.8/10 in our ranking. Filevine is the better pick for 5-500+ attorneys. PCLaw is better if you need firms that want established, lexisnexis-backed legal accounting and billing with deep trust compliance and don't need modern practice management frills.
Filevine uses custom pricing (contact sales). PCLaw starts at $69/month. Watch for add-on costs — the base price often does not include all features. Pricing last verified 2026-04-11.
Filevine: No free trial. PCLaw: No free trial. Always test with your actual workflow before committing to an annual plan.
Filevine covers 18 of 18 features we track. PCLaw covers 13 of 18. Filevine has broader feature coverage, but more features does not always mean better — pick the tool that covers what your business actually needs.
Yes, Filevine has a mobile app. PCLaw does too.
Yes. The main effort is migrating your data (customer lists, job history, invoices). Plan for 1-2 weeks of overlap where you run both. Most legal practice management tools can import CSV data. Ask both vendors about migration support before you sign.
The bottom line
Pick Filevine if...
Mid-size to large litigation firms that need a highly customizable case management system with task automation and team collaboration at scale.
Pick PCLaw if...
Firms that want established, LexisNexis-backed legal accounting and billing with deep trust compliance and don't need modern practice management frills.